Game device



March 31. 1925.

J. H. SHEARS GAME DEVICE Filed Dec- 2, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheav anvanto'aMarch 31. 1925. 1,531,420

J. H. SHEARS GAME DEVICE Filed Dec. 2, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fmafb.FIGS.

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@W/KM lwx Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

QAME DEVICE.

Application filed December To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that JAMEs H. SnnARs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oklahoma City, in the county of Oklahoma and Stateof'Qklahoma, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in GameDevices, of which the'following is a specifieation.

This invention relates to game devices. Its object is to provide aplurality of pins of the nature of bowling pins, said pins beingarranged in triangular formation after the usual mannerof setting upbowling pins and e'achpin comprising a fixed section and a hingedsection. Thehing'ed sections are acted upon by the bowlingballs to movethem to a past center position in which position they are held bysprings.

The invention further 'contei'nplates the provisionof a resettingmechanism by which the hinged portions of the pins may be-restored totheir former position and held there by the action of the springs.

Further objects and advantages of the 1nvention will be set forth in thedetailed description which follows:

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan'vi'ew of a gameapparatus constructed in accordancewith the invention.

'Figure2 is a longitudinal sectional view therethrough on line 22 of F1gure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional vlew upon line 3-3 ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a reareleyation of one of the pins, upon an enlarged scale.I

Figure 5is a 'sideelevation of one of the pins,and I Figure tiis adetail sectional view of one of the. pins illustrating the actuatingsprings and with the memoved to the position they occupy after the lowerpart of the pin has been struck by aibowling ball.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures ofthedrawing:

In carrying outth'e invention, I provide a light, metal frame, such asan aluminum frame, for example, of substantial V-s-hape andcomprisingthejside members. 5 .and'the fQ IIQI Qi 6. The cross members"are pin and slot connections with 2, 1924. Serial No. 753,435.

preferably in the shape of angle bars and serve as points of attachmentfor flanges 7 of the upper pin sections 8. The lower pinv sections 9 arepivotally connected to the upper sections 8. at 10. The hinging of thelower sections 9 on the upper sections 8 adapts these lower sections toswing to the position'illustrated in Figure 6; the normal position ofthe pins being indicated in Fig ure 5. The lower pin sections 9 are heldin either oftheir extreme positions by the action of springs 11 whichsprings are connected at their ends to lugs 12 and 13 formed upon theupper pin sections 8 and the lower pin sections 9, respectively. Thelower ends of the sections 9 carry cushioning pads 14, which are held inplace by bolts or like fastening devices 15; the pads 14 may be made inone piece or they may be made of a plurality of disks indicated inFigure 6. They are preferably made of leather but they may be made offiber, rubber or any other suitable material. When the lower pinsections are moved to the position illustrated in Figure 6 thecushioning pads strike against the cross bar 6, next in the rear of theparticular pin moved to arrest the upward movement of the pin sections9, the impact being cushioned by the material 14.

The rear faces of the pin sections 8 are spanned by bars 16 of fiber,hard rubber or like insulating material and these bars in turn carrycontact bands 17 which extend therearound and which are contacted withby the springs .11 when the pin is collapsed 35 as illustrated in Figure6. The contact bands carrybinding posts 18 to which annunciator wires 19may be connected so that the particular pins collapsed by a player maybe indicated upon asuitable annunciator board adjacent the playersposition. Annunciators of this character are common in the artand formno part of the invention, since I contemplate employing any suitableannunciator for this purpose.

For resetting the collapsed pins I provide a longitudinally extendingactuating rod, '20, which is normally held in its forward. position by aspring 21. This rod has the arms 22,

of hell crank levers that are mounted upon transverse rock shafts 23,the latter being supported in bearings 24 of the frame. The arms 25 ofthe bell crank levers carry transversely extending rods 26, 27, 28 and29 which are thrust downwardly and forwardly whenever the rod 20 isdrawn rearward ly against the action of the spring 21. IVhen the rods 26to 29 are thrust downwardly and forwardly they act against the rearedges of the lower pinv sections 9 and thrust these sections intoposition in alignment with the sections 8; in which position they areheld by the action of the springs 11. The rod 20 may be actuated fromthe players station by providing a wire. or cable, or other suitableconnection indicated at 30, which may be attached to the rear end of therod 20 and lead to a point adjacent the player by passing it oversuitable pulleys 31.

The cushioning tip 14 is a feature of considerable importance. Bymounting it upon the bolt 15 it is rendered capable of rotation so thatit may be turned to bring fresh por tions of its surface into positionfor contact with the transverse bar 6. Furthermore these tips may beeasily and quickly removed without removing the pins from the frame.This eliminates much of the trouble and expense of upkeep of anapparatus of this character. Furthermore it will be noted that therotation of the pins compensates for wear on the surface of the tips,resulting from contact with the bowling balls.

While I have shown the tip as being mounted upon a bolt 15, it is to beunderstood that it may be mounted upon the pin in any desired manner.

Tips of this character may be used as changeable shields for ordinarywooden or pressed metal or spun metal pins, and will prevent splittingand other damage. It is to be noted that the springs are concealedwithin the hollow pins and that no working parts are exposed in suchposition that they will be likely to be damaged by the bowling balls. Itis also to be noted that the construction and assembly is such as tolend itself to ready repair or replacement. Individual pins may beremoved as a whole by the mere removal of the bolts which pass throughthe flanges 7 or the lower halves of the pins may be removed byseparating the parts at 10, while the tips may he removed by removingthe bolts 15. Any of the foregoing may be accomplished withoutdisturbing any of the remainder of the apparatus. Thus, while thechances of breakage are reduced to the minimum by the cushioning effectproduced by the tips, if breakage should occur replacement may be madein a few minutes time and at a very small cost.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the preciseconstruction set forth but that itincludes within its purview whateverchanges fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of theappended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim'is:

1. A game apparatus of the character described comprising a plurality ofpins, each comprising a fixed section and a hinged section and tensionsprings between the two sections adapted to hold said sections by pastcenter action in either their collapsed or erect positions.

2. A game apparatus of the character described, comprising a pluralityof pins, each of said pins comprising a pair of hollow sections hingedlyconnected to each other and tension springs engaged with said sectionsand adapted to move to opposite sides of the point of hinging of thesections as the pins are collapsed or brought to erect position.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with apin having a fixed section and a hinged section of an insulating barextending across the rear face of the fixed section, a contact elementcarried by said bar and a spring, having its opposite ends engaged withthe said section and being movable into enga ement with the contactelement when the hinged section is moved to collapsed position.

4. A game apparatus comprising a plu rality of pins, each of said pinscomprising a fixed section and a. hinged section, a plurality of bellcrank levers, a common actuating rod connected to one of the arms ofeach of said 'bell crank levers and transverse rods connected to theother arms of said bell crank levers and adapted to engage and actuatethe hinged sections of the pins.

5. In a game apparatus of the character described, the combination witha supporting frame comprising a plurality of transverse bars of a.plurality of pins each comprising a fixed section and a hinged section,cushioning elements carried by the hinged sections adapted to engagesaid transverse bars, and resetting mechanism for moving the hingedsections away from said bar.

6. A structure as recited in claim 5, wherein the resetting mechanismcomprising a plurality of bell crank levers, a common actuating memberfor all of said bell crank levers and transverse bars carried by saidbell crank levers and engaging the hinged sections of the pins.

7 In a game apparatus, a pin comprising a fixed section and a hingedsection and a cushioning element upon the hinged section mounted forrotation.

8. In a game apparatus, a pin comprising a hinged section and a fixedsection, a spring engaged with said sections for holding them in eitherof their extreme positions. a stop,

and :1 cushioning element/upon the lower end of the hinged section ofthe pin adapted to engage said stop.

9. A structure as recited in claim 8 wherein the cushioning element ismounted for rotation.

10. A pin comprising a hinged section and a fixed section, a cushioningelement and a bolt traversing said cushioning element and :1 part of thehinged section of the pin 10 to relatively mount the cushioning elementupon said hinged section of the pin.

In testimony whereof he aflixes his signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES H. SHEARS. Witnesses Row. K. EVEREST, BETTY JANE GIsH.

